To help this effort the Athletics Department is giving away 3,000 Gold Rush shirts, 3,000 gold pom-poms, 3,000 gold thundersticks and 1,000 gold sunglasses leading up to the game and at the gate. Be sure to check GoMocs.com for more information on the GOLD RUSH.
Fans can catch the game on the radio on the Mocs Sports Network. The flagship station is ESPN Radio 105.1 FM in Chattanooga. A live audio stream of the game is available on MocsVision on GoMocs.com. Jim Reynolds is in his 33rd year as the play-by-play man for the Mocs. Todd Agne has the color commentary with Will Poindexter as the sideline reporter.
SEASON NO. 105
The Chattanooga Mocs are in their 105th season of football in 2012. The University of Chattanooga was founded in 1886 and football began play in 1904. No teams were fielded in 1917 and 1918 due to World War I. There was also a two-year hiatus from football action during World War II in 1943 and 1944. The Mocs have an all-time record of 488-500-35 (.494) and have won 10 conference titles.
COACHES AT A GLANCE
Russ Huesman is 17-18 in his fourth year at Chattanooga after being hired as the 22nd head coach at UTC on Dec. 22, 2008. A 1983 graduate of UTC and a former defensive back, Huesman guided Chattanooga to a 6-5 mark in 2009, equaling the number of wins UTC had seen in the three previous year combined.
Prior to his return to Chattanooga Huesman spent the previous 25 years building a reputation as one of the top defensive minded assistant coaches in the country, as he spent five seasons as the defensive coordinator at the University of Richmond before joining UTC. He also coached at Memphis (1998-2003) and spent 14 years at Williams & Mary, serving as the Defensive Coordinator for the 1996-97 seasons. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Huesman played prep football at perennial power Moeller High School, where he lettered for four years under head coach Gerry Faust.
David Hutchison is in his second season as the head coach at Glenville State. He was the offensive coordinator for the Pioneers when they last visited Finley Stadium in 2009. He has been a part of the GSC coaching staff since 2008. Prior to that, he was on Lloyd Carr's staff at Michigan. He has a 6-7 overall record.
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOCS
- UTC is coming off a 5-6 2011 record with included five losses by a total of 12 points. The Mocs lost three games by a 28-27 tally.
- UTC has three members of its defense on various preseason All-American teams, including junior linebacker Wes Dothard, senior defensive lineman Josh Williams and junior defensive back Kadeem Wise.
- The Mocs are receiving votes in the Sports Network Top-25.
- UTC is picked to finish fourth in the SoCon by the league's coaches and media.
- Chattanooga had eight players named to the preseason All-SoCon teams, including three on the first team defense (Williams, Dothard, Key).
- Despite returning 17 starters, UTC is still a very young team in 2012 ... there are just seven seniors on the roster ... 14 starters on the current two-deep are sophomores and freshmen.
- UTC is looking to avoid an 0-3 start for the first time since 2004.
- The Mocs were not called for a penalty in the Jacksonville State game.
- Junior Chaz Moore is currently No. 2 in the nation in KOR. He is averaging 36.7 yards per return, including a career-long 48 yarder at Jacksonville State.
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT THE GLENVILLE STATE GAME
- This is the second game in the series with the Pioneers.
- Glenville State was the Mocs' first opponent of the Russ Huesman era ... Chattanooga posted a 30-13 win in the season-opener on Sept. 3, 2009.
- This is the 80th game for the Mocs in the 15-year history of Finley Stadium ... UTC is 33-46 (.417) at Finley Stadium, including 9-6 (.600) under Russ Huesman.
NOTES TO KNOW ABOUT GLENVILLE STATE
- Glenville State competes in the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a member of the NCAA Division II.
- This is the third consecutive Thursday night game for the Pioneers to open the season.
- Darold Hughes is the two-time WVIAC Offensive Player of the Week this season. He leads the conference and is No. 22 in the nation with 294.5 yards of total offense per game. Last week, he connected on 13-of-20 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns for Glenville State in the win over Fairmont State.
- WR Orlandus Harris is a Chattanooga native and Brainerd HS grad who transferred to GSC from Eastern Kentucky. He scored a TD for the Colonels at Finley Stadium in the Mocs' 42-24 win over EKU on Sept. 18, 2010. Harris is currently No. 3 in all of Division II with 12.5 catches per game.
- The Pioneers are in the top-25 in NCAA Division II in total offense (14 - 518.5), scoring (19 - 43.5), rushing offense (23 - 229.5) and passing offense (24 - 289.0).
- GSC has not allowed a sack this season.
ALL-TIME HOME OPENERS
The Chattanooga Mocs are 71-30-3 (.697) in home openers all-time. UTC has posted a 9-5 (.643) mark in the 14 home openers at Finley Stadium. They were 62-21-3 (.738) in home openers in the 86 seasons played on Chamberlain Field.
THURSDAY NIGHT HOME OPENER
This is the seventh Thursday night home game for the Mocs since Finley Stadium opened in 1997. Thursday night games have been very popular in the Scenic City with 30% larger crowds on average, based on the rest of the season's attendance. Two of the six largest crowds in Finley Stadium history have occurred during these Thursday night contests. UTC drew 14,002 when it last hosted Glenville State on Sept. 3, 2009, the fifth-largest number ever at Finley. The Mocs also had 13,186 fans for the Samford game on Aug. 31, 2000, the sixth-biggest crowd at Finley. Chattanooga is 3-3 when playing in Finley Stadium on Thursday nights.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Of the 422 yards of total offense produced by the Mocs at Jacksonville State, all but 19 yards were produced by sophomores and freshmen. With 17 total starters returning, the Mocs have a lot of experience coming back. However, UTC is still a young team in 2012. There are only seven seniors on the roster. Of the 62 Mocs that participated in a game last season, 22 were freshmen and another 17 were sophomores. There are 14 sophomores and freshmen who are listed as starters on the two-deep, including nine on offense, three on defense and two specialists.
CHATTANOOGA 30, GLENVILLE STATE 13 - SEPT. 3, 2009
- The Mocs snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 30-13 win ... attendance was 14,002 - the 3rd largest crowd in UTC history at the time ... still stands as the fifth largest attendance in Finley Stadium history.
- True freshman RB Chris Awuah scored a TD on the first carry of his career.
- Glenville State had more total yards in the game (379) than Chattanooga (332)...Chattanooga held the edge in passing yards (258-208) while GSC had more rushing yards (171-74).
- Chris Awuah (Fr - RB) - Scored at TD on his first career carry ... finished with 68 yards on 13 carries and two rushing TDs.
- B.J. Coleman (So - QB) - 18-34 for 258 yards and one TD in his Mocs debut.
- Blue Cooper (Sr - WR) - Led the Mocs with 127 yards on eight catche
- Buster Skrine (Jr. - DB) - Ran back an extra point attempt for two points in the third quarter...took a lateral from DL Nick Craig and ran it back for the score ... play was featured on ESPN.
- Joseph Thornton (Sr - LB) - Led the team with a career-high 17 tackles.
NO. 24 JACKSONVILLE STATE 27, CHATTANOOGA 24 - SEPT. 8, 2012
- Mocs fall to 0-2 on the season with a 27-24 loss at No. 24 Jacksonville State ... JSU's Griffin Thomas kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired for the win ... UTC leads the series 26-11 and is 6-5 all time at JSU.
- The Mocs are 5-12 when trailing at the half and 3-14 when trailing after three quarters in the Huesman era.
- QB Jacob Huesman's fumble in the first quarter was the Mocs' first turnover of the season.
- Chattanooga outrushed Jax State 241 to 216...it is just the third loss for UTC when outrushing an opponent in the Huesman era (12-3).
- After getting flagged 11 times for 95 yards in the season opener at USF, Chattanooga was not called for any penalties in tonight's game.
- Wes Dothard (Jr. - LB) - Buck Buchanan Award Candidate - Three tackles, including one for loss ... forced a fumble.
- Shane Heatherly (Sr. - LB) - First career-sack ... finished with seven tackles.
- Tommy Hudson (So. - WR) - Career-highs with six catches for 34 yards
- D.J. Key (Jr. - DB) - Game-high 10 tackles
- Gunner Miller (Jr. - LB) - Second career INT ... returned 25 yards ... finished with four tackles.
- Chaz Moore (Jr. - DB) - Career-long 48-yard kick return
- Ron Moore (So. - WR) - Career-highs with four catches for 55 yards ... third career TD catch.
- Keon Williams (So. - RB) - 51 yards rushing on 19 carries ... two-point conversion to tie the game at 24 with 39 seconds left.
HUESMAN IMPRESSIVE AT JACKSONVILLE STATE
Freshman QB Jacob Huesman put up some impressive numbers in his first collegiate start at No. 24 Jacksonville State. He had 21 carries for 166 yards rushing and one TD. It was the most rushing yards by a Moc since Bryan Fitzgerald had 181 at Presbyterian on Sept. 19, 2009 and the second most rushing yards by a QB in school history (197 - Richard Manning at Ole Miss on Nov. 9, 1968). It was also the second most rushing yards by a freshman in school history (202 - James Roberts at ETSU - 10/14/89). His 62-yard run on the first play from scrimmage is the longest rush by a Moc since Brian Sutherland's 62-yard run against Appalachian State on Sept. 4, 2010. He was also 18-30 passing for 181 yards and two TDs. His 347 yards of total offense is the most by a Moc since B.J. Coleman had 428 (432 pass/-4 rush) at Furman on Oct. 23, 2010.
IT'S ALL IN THE NAME
On first reference, it is acceptable to refer to us as the "University of Tennessee at Chattanooga". After that, we prefer to be called "Chattanooga" or "UTC." Our nickname is "Mocs."
ROSTER, DEPTH CHART AND BREAKDOWNS
An updated roster can be found on pages 10-11 of the .pdf of the game notes. There is a roster breakdown on page 12 and a list of the starters and letter winners returning and lost on page 13. An updated depth chart is on pages 14-15.
DOTHARD NAMED TO BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD WATCH LIST
Junior linebacker Wes Dothard was named to the 2012 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. Dothard is one of 20 players up for the top defensive honor in the Football Championship Subdivision presented by The Sports Network. He is also a consensus Preseason All-American. Dothard is coming off an outstanding sophomore season that included 98 tackles, five forced fumbles, two defensive scores and First Team All-American honors from the Sports Network. He is currently third on the team with 11 tackles, including two for a loss, and a forced fumble.
WILLIAMS A CONSENSUS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Senior defensive end Josh Williams has been named to various preseason FCS All-American teams heading into 2012. He is the Mocs' all-time leader in sacks with 21.5 in his career. The Griffin, Ga., native led the SoCon in sacks last season (9.5) and earned first team honors from the league. He has started 33 of 35 games in his career. So far this season he has three tackles and a pair of QBHs.
WISE NAMED TO PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN TEAM
Junior defensive back Kadeem Wise joined Dothard and Williams on the Phil Steele FCS Preseason All-American team. Wise made the fourth team while Dothard and Williams were third team selections. Wise is a two-time All-SoCon performer with eight career interceptions. He was the 2010 SoCon Freshman of the Year and a second team all-league pick in 2011. He has started every game of his career at cornerback and is the only Moc to be named All-SoCon in his first two seasons. He is currently second on the team with 15 tackles.
POLLARD NAMED TO FRED MITCHELL AWARD WATCH LIST
Sophomore Nick Pollard is one of 44 student-athletes on the 2012 Fred Mitchell Place-Kicker Award Watch List the selection committee announced prior to the season. The annual Fred Mitchell Award is provided to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams. Pollard (Smyrna, Tenn.) is coming off an outstanding 2011 season that saw him break the Mocs' freshman scoring record with 61 points. He connected on 31-of-33 PATs and was 10-of-14 on field goals, earning Southern Conference All-Freshman honors. This season he is 2-4 on FGs and 2-3 on PATs. He is also handling the punting duties and has a 39.5 yard average per kick.
MOCS CONTINUE TREND OF PLAYING TOP BCS OPPONENTS
Like most FCS teams, Chattanooga takes on at least one FBS squad each year. However, the Mocs have faced some of the best in recent years. Here is a rundown of the FBS opponents in the last four years and where each ranked when they faced UTC.
USF won 34-13 on Sept. 1, 2012
No. 10 Nebraska won 40-7 on Sept. 2, 2011
No. 2 Auburn won 62-24 on Nov. 6, 2010 - eventual BCS Champion
No. 2 Alabama won 45-0 on Nov. 21, 2009 - eventual BCS Champion
Florida State won 46-7 on Sept. 13, 2008
No. 4 Oklahoma won 57-2 on Aug. 30, 2008
UTC also faced the eventual Heisman Trophy winner for three straight seasons from 2008-2010, including Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (2008), Alabama's Mark Ingram (2009) and Auburn's Cam Newton (2010). The Mocs were one of only two teams to sack Newton three times in a game in 2010.
LETTERMEN/STARTERS RETURNING/LOST
The Mocs return a total of 45 lettermen from the 2011 campaign. There are 25 on the offensive side of the ball, while 19 return on defense. One specialist will also return for the 2012 season. There are 17 starters returning, including eight on offense, eight on defense and one on special teams. A complete breakdown of starters returning and lost is available on page 13 of the game notes .pdf.
EIGHT MOCS NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-SOCON TEAMS
UTC had eight student-athletes named to the SoCon Preseason All-Conference Team. Dothard, Williams and junior DB D.J. Key made the first team defense. Senior Adam Miller and sophomore Faysal Shafaat were on the second team offense while Wise and sophomore DL Davis Tull made the second team defense. Pollard was the second team kicker.
Key was Second Team All-SoCon last season, finishing with 77 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups. He had a school-record 85-yard interception return for a touchdown against Western Carolina. He currently leads the team with 17 tackles and one interception.
Shafaat was on the SoCon All-Freshman team after making 19 catches for 179 yards and two TDs in 2011. Miller was a preseason pick last year and is a three-year returning starter at right tackle. He is a two-time Academic All-SoCon honoree and has twice been named to the FCS ADA Academic All-Star team. Tull was a SoCon All-Freshman choice in 2011, posting 30 tackles and five sacks while starting all 11 games.
MOCS PICKED FOURTH IN SOCON PRESEASON POLLS
UTC was picked No. 4 in both the SoCon Coaches and Media preseason polls for the second straight season. Prior to that, UTC had not been picked that high in both polls since 1991.
FOUR ALL-SOCON SELECTIONS RETURN IN 2012
Of the seven Mocs who made the All-SoCon team in 2011, four return for 2012. All-American linebacker Wes Dothard heads the list that includes defensive end Josh Williams and defensive backs Kadeem Wise and D.J. Key.
15 CURRENT MOCS HAVE BEEN HONORED BY THE SOCON DURING THEIR CAREERS
In addition to the four All-SoCon team members who are returning in 2012, there are 11 others who have received either All-SoCon or SoCon All-Freshman honors in their careers. Marlon Anthony, Chris Awuah, Josh Freeman, Marquis Green, Gunner Miller, Nick Pollard, Keyon Reed, Terrell Robinson, Faysal Shafaat, Davis Tull and Keon Williams were all members of the SoCon All-Freshman team during their respective first seasons at UTC.
MAJORITY OF THE MOCS ARE FROM TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA
Of the 87 members currently on the Mocs' spring roster, 78 list Tennessee (48) or Georgia (30) as their home state. That means 90% of the roster is from Tennessee or Georgia, including 55% from Tennessee and 35% from Georgia. Four Mocs are from Florida, four from Alabama and one from North Carolina.
MOCS ROSTER INCLUDES A NUMBER FROM THE CHATTANOOGA AREA
UTC's football roster boasts 20 members from the Chattanooga area. Northwest Whitfield High School in Tunnel Hill, Ga., is currently the biggest feeder to the program with four former members on the Mocs' roster, including Adam Miller, Dustin Tate, Dean Haynes and Synjen Herren. Be sure to check out page 10 to see a full breakdown of the 2012 roster.
32 MOCS MAKE THE HONOR ROLL, 23 ON THE DEAN'S LIST
The Mocs football team set a new program record with 23 student-athletes on the Dean's List for having a 3.2 g.p.a. in the 2012 spring semester, including: Don Cope, Mike Hammons, Robert Harrison, Shane Heatherly, Brandon Henry, Irvin Hernandez, Will Hewitt, Shaun Hill, Jacob Huesman, T.J. Hurless, J.J. Jackson, Zach McCarter, Adam Miller, C.J. Murrell, Steven Nease, Brynn Oliver, Ethan Poe, Nick Pollard, Keyon Reed, Travron Taylor, Davis Tull, Robert Wagner, Austin Wilson. The following nine members of the football team made the Athletics Director's Honor Roll for posting a 3.0 g.p.a. in the spring: Nick Craig, Synjen Herren, Tommy Hudson, Deshion Kendall, D.J. Key, Michael Slowey, Darian Stewart, Jeff Veres and Muhasibi Wakeel. The 23 that made the Dean's List were also on the Athletics Director's Honor Roll.
TEAM CAPTAINS CHOSEN FOR 2012
Following the 2012 Blue & Gold Spring Game, team captains were named for the upcoming season. Selected by the players and coaches, the position of team captain for the Chattanooga Mocs is one of honor and responsibility. LB Shane Heatherly (Sr. - Waynesville, N.C.), RB J.J. Jackson (Sr. - Marietta, Ga.), DB D.J. Key (Jr. - Centerville, Tenn.) and OL Adam Miller (Sr. - Cohutta, Ga.) are charged with the task of leading Mocs Football in the classroom, on the field and in the community for the next year.
SEASON TICKET SALES PUSH
The Mocs are looking to break a season ticket sales record for the fourth year in a row in 2012. Chattanooga started the recent trend with the arrival of head coach Russ Huesman in 2009. In 2009, the Mocs sold 2,527 season tickets, topping that with 2,676 in 2010. UTC sold 2,761 for the 2011 season.
ATTENDANCE IN THE HUESMAN ERA
UTC has seen a dramatic growth in attendance at home football games since the hiring of Russ Huesman in December 2008. Seven of the Mocs' top-10 crowds in school history have come in the 15 home games of the Huesman era. Chattanooga is averaging 11,212 fans per game since the start of 2009. Prior to Huesman's arrival, UTC averaged 5,767 fans per game in the 2008 season.
THREE MOCS IN THE NFL
Three former Mocs on either practice squads or active rosters in the NFL. B.J. Coleman (2009-11), the seventh round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers in 2012, was recently cut from the team but then signed to the practice squad. Free-agent rookie Chris Lewis-Harris (2008-11) is now on the practice squad with the Cincinnati Bengals. Buster Skrine (2007-10) was a fifth round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2011 and is fighting for a starting spot in the secondary. Former Moc and future NFL Hall of Fame Terrell Owens was recently cut by the Seattle Seahawks.
